Man sectioned after hurling tiles off roof for six hours in Forest Gate

Neighbours of a man who spent six hours hurling tiles from a roof were given a police escort for safety if they wanted to leave their houses last night.

Roads in Forest Gate were closed and a large area cordoned off as the man staged a police stand-off in a residential street.

The man stripped his roof of tiles in a protest over benefit cuts, causing damage to three properties as well as some neighbouring cars.

Local resident Christie Peto, 26, of Dames Road watched the incident from her bedroom window before being led to safety by the police.

“He was up there for hours shouting about how corrupt the government and police are,” she said.

“I watched for a while then eventually was escorted down the street by police because I needed to go out at 7pm.

“He’s completely demolished his and another two roofs.

“Something must have triggered his anger because he was saying ‘the police don’t want you to see what’s in my room because then everyone will see the truth about them’.

“He was definitely trying to prove a point.”

Onlookers gathered as the man shouted for police to stay away but there were no reports of him threatening the public and Christie explained “he seemed to mean no harm”.

He was finally talked down shortly after 9pm and was arrested and bailed before being sectioned under the Mental Health Act and taken to hospital.

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